MMA news

• Mark Hunt on past conditioning issues: 'I'm ready to go five, 10 rounds' at UFC 193

  12-11-2015 23:00
  
  Mark Hunt showed up to his UFC Fight Night 65 main event opposite Stipe Miocic out of shape, and he paid the price in blood.
  "The one with Stipe was hard," Hunt said at the UFC 193 open workout media scrum in Melbourne, Australia. "I got beaten up. I beat myself. I lost that fight. It was hard, [and] that’s why I had to [make] some changes. It was me.
  "I had to lose like 10 kilograms the day of the weigh-ins, so that wasn’t good. It’s not good for anybody. I’m not doing t
  
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• Luis Santos: ‘Pu--y’ Ben Askren’s demands don’t make sense

  12-11-2015 22:54
  
  No decision has been made yet for the ONE Championship 35 main event, but Luis Santos isn’t happy with Ben Askren’s decision.
  Scheduled to take on welterweight champion Askren in a five-round battle in Singapore on Friday, Santos failed to make weight, coming in two pounds over the 170-pound limit, and "Funky" won’t accept to fight him unless he shows up under 190 pounds in a second weigh-in slated for tonight.
  Disappointed for missing weight, "Sapo" isn’t confident he wi
  
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• 'Desperate' Mirko Cro Cop admits to using growth hormone for shoulder injury

  12-11-2015 22:07
  
  Mirko Cro Cop said that he informed the UFC that he had taken a banned substance and that is why he is now suspended provisionally by USADA.
  The MMA legend wrote on his website Thursday that in a "desperate" move to heal a shoulder injury, he injected himself with growth hormone. A few days later, USADA came to test him. Cro Cop wrote that the results of the test are not even back yet, but when he was tested he informed the UFC immediately that he had used the drugs.
  "Growth hormones are on the
  
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• Video: Michael Bisping Already Back In The Gym After Elbow Surgery

  12-11-2015 21:46
  
  UFC middleweight fighter Michael Bisping is back in the gym following time off due to an elbow surgery. On October 15th, Bisping had surgery to remove approximately 6 loose bodies from his elbow.
  https://instagram.com/p/96r_JYytR9/No word on when he’ll be returning to action.Related: Michael Bisping: “I’ve Been Left Permanently Disfigured From My Fight With Vitor Belfort”
  
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• Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Admits to Taking a ‘Little Mix of Growth Hormone’ to Help Shoulder Heal

  12-11-2015 21:26 via sherdog.com
  
  While Mirko Filipovic maintains that he retired due to injuries, not because of a pending U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) suspension, the heavyweight has admitted to taking growth hormone to help his ailing shoulder heal.
  
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• Holly Holm: 'I visualize the victory' against Ronda Rousey at UFC 193

  12-11-2015 21:00
  
  Holly Holm knows her UFC 193 main-event tilt against Ronda Rousey has already begun.
  In combat sports, the mental game reigns supreme, and Holm recognizes that defeating somebody of Rousey's caliber begins by cultivating an intense self-belief.
  "If you can’t visualize it [the victory], you won’t attain it," Holm said at the UFC 193 open workout media scrum in Melbourne, Australia. "You can’t get it. If you don’t think it’s going to happen, it’s not going to ha
  
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• Ben Askren thinks about his MMA legacy more than you'd expect

  12-11-2015 20:00
  
  Ben Askren's main vehicle of promotion in the United States is social media. And he's pretty good at it.
  Askren is the guy with a quick quip every time significant news breaks in MMA. He's the guy poking fun of Johny Hendricks when he can't make weight, and the one taking slaps at Ken Shamrock's age. "Funky" has branded himself as something of a crap-talking court jester on Twitter.
  It works for him. But it's also worth remembering he's one of the best welterweights on Earth even if he doesn't n
  
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• Video: The Making Of EA Sports’ UFC 2, Coming Spring 2016

  12-11-2015 19:09
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIBhdfjMfK0UFC uploaded this video to their official YouTube channel on Thursday afternoon to hype the upcoming EA Sports: UFC 2. The game will be released sometime in the Spring of 2016.
  
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• Ronda Rousey Says She Has A Love-Hate Relationship With Her Opponents

  12-11-2015 18:27
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFDSPrT2AxoRonda Rousey is schedule to fight Holly Holm in a women’s bantamweight championship bout at UFC 193 and during a recent episode of UFC 193 Embedded, she explained why she has a love-hate relationship with her opponents.“This person is trying to piggyback off of all my work I have done my whole life, and they’re trying to steal that from me,” Rousey said. “And in that sense, I’m offended by their presence. I hate them
  
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• Kimbo Slice: “Dada 5000 Is A Real Piece Of S—, He Stole My Image”

  12-11-2015 18:07
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOs6NTWtT58There's a lot of bad blood brewing between Kimbo Slice and Dada 5000, who will be fighting at a Bellator MMA event in February. Dada is a childhood friend and former bodyguard of Slice, who also was a well-known street fighter before entering the MMA world.
  Slice had some strong words to say about Dada in a recent interview with Sherdog.“He’s a real piece of s—,” Slice said. “I don’t like him. I’m ready to f&mda
  
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• Luis Santos misses weight, ONE Championship main event with Ben Askren ‘under negotiation’

  12-11-2015 17:21
  
  Ben Askren’s ONE Championship welterweight belt won’t be on the line at Friday’s event in Singapore.
  Askren (14-0, 1 NC) and Luis Santos (61-9-1, 1 NC) battle in an immediate rematch after an eye poke prematurely ended their first fight in April, but "Sapo" missed weight by two pounds on today’s official weigh-in.
  Askren tweeted that he agrees to fight Santos if the Brazilian shows up under 190 pounds on Friday, and the promotion announced the fight is "still under negoti
  
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• One Championship Weigh-in Results: Luis Santos Misses Weight for Ben Askren Rematch

  12-11-2015 17:02 via sherdog.com
  
  So much for the best-laid plans, as Luis Santos’ inability to make weight has put his rematch with One Championship welterweight titleholder Ben Askren in jeopardy.
  
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• Valerie Letourneau: It's 'disgusting' USADA won't let Hector Lombard corner me

  12-11-2015 17:00
  
  Valerie Letourneau won't have her most influential teammate in her corner for the biggest fight of her life, and she's clearly not happy about it.
  The title challenger will go into her bout with women's strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 193 on Saturday in Melbourne, Australia without Hector Lombard by her side. Lombard was suspended for one year by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC), retroactive to January, for testing positive for a designer steroid. Under the rules of the UFC's
  
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• UFC Exec Tom Wright: Bringing Promotion to Melbourne ‘Always When, Not If’

  12-11-2015 16:42 via sherdog.com
  
  MELBOURNE -- It took a lot longer than expected, but the UFC will make its Victoria debut when UFC 193 hits Etihad Stadium in Melbourne on Sunday morning.
  
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• Herb Dean On Controversial Henderson-Belfort Stoppage, Says Henderson Was Still Game

  12-11-2015 15:53
  
  Herb Dean, arguably the most respected referee in MMA today, recently spoke about the controversial call referee Mario Yamasaki made to stop the Dan Henderson vs. Vitor Belfort fight at UFC Fight Night 77 in Brazil. According to Dean, he might not have made the same call that Yamasaki did."It's hard to say whether I would have handled it differently," said Dean during his recent appearance on Bruce Buffer's podcast. "I think the biggest difference was how close Mario was [to stopping it] at that
  
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• Joanna Jedrzejczyk: Sweaty hands let on that Valerie Letourneau is 'afraid already'

  12-11-2015 15:00
  
  Joanna Jedrzejczyk thought Valerie Letourneau would be a tough opponent to break when they first faced off.
  At the Go Big press conference before UFC 191 in early September, Jedrzejczyk and Letourneau went nose to nose and the UFC women's strawweight champion was impressed.
  "After that, I was like, 'F*ck, this chick is tough,'" Jedrzejczyk said Wednesday at UFC 193 open workouts.
  But the Polish titleholder sensed a crack in the armor a few weeks later when the two co-headliners were in Melbourne
  
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• UFC 193 open workout photos

  12-11-2015 14:30
  
  View this gallery here.
  
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• Watch The MMA Beat today

  12-11-2015 14:11
  
  On this week's episode of "The MMA Beat," the panel will discuss the latest regarding Ronda Rousey, UFC 193, Bellator's use of Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie, Mirko Cro Cop's legacy and more.
  Watch "The MMA Beat" live today at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. GMT.Subscribe to the show on iTunes: audio | video or Soundcloud here. Stream it on Stitcher here.
  Music courtesy of APM Music.
  
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• Morning Report: Herb Dean discusses Dan Henderson's controversial TKO stoppage in Brazil, 'Dan was still in the game'

  12-11-2015 14:00
  
  Being a referee isn't easy.
  At best, you're one wonky call away from being savaged by awful MMA Twitter. At worst, you've perhaps irreparably altered the course of an athlete's career.
  Whether the calls come too quick or too slow, you're gonna hear about it.
  Last weekend in Sao Paulo, Brazil, veteran referee Mario Yamasaki took flak for his first-round stoppage in the main event between Dan Henderson and Vitor Belfort. Belfort scored a quick headkick knockdown of Henderson and was awarded a perf
  
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• Joanna Jedrzejczyk UFC 193 open workout session

  12-11-2015 13:31
  
  MELBOURNE, Australia -- UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk puts on a show at Federation Square.
  
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• Holly Holm UFC 193 open workout session

  12-11-2015 08:07
  
  MELBOURNE, Australia -- Holly Holm put on quite a show for fans at Federation Square.
  
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• Ronda Rousey UFC 193 open workout session

  12-11-2015 07:02
  
  MELBOURNE, Australia -- UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey put on quite a show for fans at the Federation Square on Thursday morning.
  
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• Uriah Hall: Now It's Prime Time

  12-11-2015 07:00 via ufc.com
  
  It was a rough first round on the scorecards for Uriah Hall in his September bout against Gegard Mousasi, but the New Yorker always appeared calm, as if he knew that given the slightest opening, he could turn things around.As for that second round, “I just blanked out,” he laughs.Most fighters pray for such a blank out, as Hall took only 25 seconds to finish the highly-ranked middleweight contender and earn his own spot in the top ten. But it wasn’t just the win that mattered,
  
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• TUF LATAM 2 - Episode 12 Recap

  12-11-2015 07:00 via ufc.com
  The finals of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 2 are set after the last bout took place in the lightweight division this week. But before Enrique Barzola and Cezar Arzamendia squared off, the competitors still had a few more days of living in the house and training at the gym. It's been a long six weeks, but an educational month and a half for the fighters on the show, as they were able to train in world-class facilities with every possible need met, whether it was coaches, doctors, or n
  
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• The Downes Side: UFC 193 Predictions

  12-11-2015 07:00 via ufc.com
  
  That’s right boys and girls, it’s time for another Australian version of the Downes Side! The UFC may be in the land “Down Under,” but you can believe that the Nostradamus of MMA will be at the top of the predictions charts. You may be spending the weekend doing the safety dance, but be sure to find a couple hours to enjoy UFC 193. Live from Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey puts her title on the line against undefeat
  
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• Holm Searches for the Sweet Victory

  12-11-2015 07:00 via ufc.com
  
  One kick could change everything for Holly Holm.As “The Preacher’s Daughter” approaches the biggest fight of her career against Ronda Rousey this weekend in Melbourne, Australia, the talk has centered on how Holm can do the impossible and dethrone the juggernaut of the MMA world. She has to use her boxing. She has to use distance and range. She can’t let Ronda get close. She has to take the fight into the late rounds.They’re all valid ideas, but the most valid may b
  
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• Energized By Fans, Ronda Rousey Embraces Her UFC 193 Moment

  12-11-2015 07:00 via ufc.com
  
  MELBOURNE, Australia At some point, Ronda Rousey may no longer feel an overpowering rush of emotion as she’s celebrated by assemblages of adoring fans. She might not be driven to tears of gratitude and joy, of appreciation and wonderment for how her athletic efforts and accomplishments impact others. This week -- the threshold of UFC 193 and its expected record-setting crowd at Etihad Stadium for Rousey’s UFC bantamweight title defense against undefeated Holly Holm -- is not that tim
  
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• Comfortable Holly Holm, Unfazed by #RouseyRevolution, Ready To Fight

  12-11-2015 07:00 via ufc.com
  
  MELBOURNE, AustraliaHolly Holm isn’t just enjoying her moment – she’s found comfort in the days before the highest stakes fight of her life.Unable to contain her excitement at the UFC 193 Open Workouts, a bouncy and jubilant Holm, sporting a broad smile, playfully joked with teammates, showed off her dance moves, and even brought a fan up on stage to help her warm up ahead of the biggest fight of her career against UFC megastar Ronda Rousey.More on Rousey vs. Holm: Holm's chanc
  
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• Anthony Perosh: Still a Student

  12-11-2015 07:00 via ufc.com
  
  Even though Anthony Perosh is 43 years old, I never ask him about when he’s going to retire. Instead, I wonder if there are days in the gym when he feels like he could fight another ten years.That brings an “are you crazy?” disguised as a chuckle.“I’m my biggest critic, and if I don’t feel like I’m performing, and especially if I don’t want to be there, then I would walk away,” Perosh said. “But ten years, definitely not. At the moment,
  
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• Mark Hunt UFC 193 open workout scrum

  12-11-2015 06:44
  
  MELBOURNE, Australia -- At UFC 193 open workouts, Mark Hunt talks about the shape that he is in, the rematch against Bigfoot, why he came up short against Stipe Miotic, and more.
  
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• Valerie Letourneau UFC 193 open workout scrum

  12-11-2015 06:29
  
  MELBOURNE, Australia -- UFC women's strawweight contender Valerie Letourneau spoke to the media Wednesday about facing Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 193, the role of women's headlining a card, fighting for respect in all-male gyms, whether there's extra pressure given the size and scope of the fight and more.
  
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• Joanna Jedrzejczyk UFC 193 open workout scrum

  12-11-2015 06:23
  
  MELBOURNE, Australia -- UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk discusses why her Valerie Letourneau is already afraid, her thoughts on Claudia Gadelha, and much more at UFC 193 open workouts.
  
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• Antonio Silva UFC 193 open workout scrum

  12-11-2015 06:17
  
  MELBOURNE, Australia -- UFC heavyweight Antonio Silva talked to the media Wednesday about his UFC 193 bout with Mark Hunt, what will be different in the rematch, being the underdog, how much damage he took in the first fight and more.
  
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• John Dodson Texted Matchmaker Sean Shelby to Request Thomas Almeida Fight

  12-11-2015 05:57 via sherdog.com
  
  Thomas Almeida has made quite the impression in his first four UFC appearances, and now it seems he is attracting attention from some of the promotion’s bigger names.
  
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• UFC 193 Embedded, Episode 3: 'I had to go bankrupt to make sure I prepared for a fight right'

  12-11-2015 05:50
  
  In the third episode of UFC 193 Embedded, Ronda Rousey trains with coach Edmond Tarverdyan in her hotel room, Joanna Jedrzejczyk gets tips from her nutritionist, Antonio Silva jokes around with his team and Uriah Hall can't seem to get the right fit from Reebok.
  
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• UFC Lightweight Al Iaquinta to Miss 6-8 Months After Undergoing Knee Surgery

  12-11-2015 05:38 via sherdog.com
  
  Al Iaquinta will likely be sidelined until mid-2016 as he recovers from knee surgery.
  
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• Ronda Rousey: It's best for the rest of the division that they 'take their turns losing to me'

  12-11-2015 05:36
  
  When Ronda Rousey is gone, she thinks the rest of the fighters in the division are going to miss getting trounced in the first round by her for a fat paycheck.
  The dominant, undefeated UFC women's bantamweight champion said Wednesday at UFC 193 open workouts that playing second fiddle to her is going to be far more lucrative to her peers than them fighting each other for the belt in the future.
  "I really feel like I've found my place and what I'm supposed to be doing," Rousey said. "I feel like
  
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• Holly Holm UFC 193 open workout scrum

  12-11-2015 05:36
  
  MELBOURNE, Australia -- UFC women's bantamweight contender spoke to the media Wednesday about her love of Australia, using her boxing background in her UFC 193 fight with Ronda Rousey, interacting with the fans, the importance of belief in victory and more.
  
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• Khabib Nurmagomedov Eyeing Spot on UFC’s Super Bowl Weekend Card

  12-11-2015 05:19 via sherdog.com
  
  Khabib Nurmagomedov isn’t ready to call it quits just yet.
  
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• Ronda Rousey UFC 193 open workout scrum

  12-11-2015 05:01
  
  MELBOURNE, Australia -- UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey discusses what fighting means to her, UFC 193, the criticism of MMA, and much more.
  
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• Khabib Nurmagomedov eyes Super Bowl weekend return after deciding to fight on

  12-11-2015 03:20
  
  After a couple weeks to think things over, Khabib Nurmagomedov has decided to fight on.
  The undefeated lightweight has been frustrated after a string of injuries have left him on the sidelines for more than a year, right at the point he was breaking through as a legitimate title contender.
  The American Kickboxing Academy fighter strongly considered retiring from mixed martial arts after he had to drop out of his Dec. 11 fight against Tony Ferguson due to a rib injury suffered in a light training
  
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• Cain Velasquez leaves Zinkin Entertainment for Creative Artists Agency

  12-11-2015 02:50
  
  Cain Velasquez has a new management team.
  MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani reported on Wednesday's edition of UFC Tonight that the two-time former UFC heavyweight champion has signed with prominent Beverly Hills firm Creative Artists Agency.
  While CAA is best known for representing Hollywood stars, it also works with athletes, including mixed martial artists Georges St-Pierre and T.J. Dillashaw.
  Velasquez's previous firm, Zinkin Entertainment, has deep-rooted ties to Velasquez's gym, the American
  
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• Kimbo Slice: ‘Piece of S---’ Dada 5000 Stole My Image After I Turned Pro in MMA

  12-11-2015 02:20 via sherdog.com
  
  The documentary “Dawg Fight” chronicles the rise of Dhafir Harris both as competitor and a promoter in the South Florida backyard fight scene. Despite making a brief cameo, Kimbo Slice hasn’t seen one second of the film.
  
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• Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Suspended by USADA for Potential Anti-Doping Policy Violation

  12-11-2015 02:12 via sherdog.com
  
  Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic may have had an ulterior motive for his recently announced retirement.
  
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• Mirko Cro Cop Becomes First Fighter Suspended Under UFC’s New Anti-Doping Policy

  12-11-2015 02:01
  
  It looks like there's a lot more to the Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic story than first met the eye.After pulling out of his scheduled UFC return bout and announcing his retirement due to injury, the MMA and kickboxing legend has apparently become the first fighter to pop hot under the new anti-doping policy administered by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).Specific details, including the substance that was found in Filipovic's system, has not yet been revealed.Below is the officiasl state
  
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• Mirko Cro Cop suspended by UFC for potential anti-doping policy violation

  12-11-2015 01:42
  
  Mirko Cro Cop might be injured. But that isn't the only reason he won't be fighting later this month.
  The MMA legend has been provisionally suspended by USADA due to a potential anti-doping policy violation, the UFC announced Wednesday. USADA notified both Cro Cop and the UFC about the potential violation, according to a release. The statement did not give any details regarding the possible violation. Because of the suspension, his fight with Anthony Hamilton has been canceled.
  "USADA, the indep
  
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• Update On Matthew Riddle’s Rumored Start Date With WWE

  12-11-2015 00:51
  
  https://youtu.be/JQ-1_co2g9sIt looks like it won't be long before we see former UFC fighter and Ultimate Fighter veteran Matthew Riddle inside a WWE ring.
  According to the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Riddle is expected to start with the company in February.Riddle reportedly impressed WWE officials during his tryout, however they wanted him to be tested out in the EVOLVE promotion since he had only really wrestled in the Monster Factory gym since leaving MMA.Many within WWE
  
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• Valerie Letourneau: Embracing the Moment

  12-11-2015 00:34 via ufc.com
  
  Valerie Letourneau is no stranger to making people cry, and she’s planning on doing it again this weekend when she challenges for Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s strawweight title in the co-main event of UFC 193.It’s not a bad thing, though one would have to consult her previous opponents to see if any of them ever shed a tear after fighting “Trouble.” Yet as far as Letourneau is concerned, if there is crying in Melbourne, Australia, those will be tears of joy.“I hope so
  
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